The "King of Kentucky Lake" episode in the Hobie Outdoors television series documents the 2015 Hobie Bass Open. The iAngler Tournament System, which was used to host and score the tournament, was featured prominently throughout the episode.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced Elemental Methods, LLC of Irving, Texas, as a winner in its annual Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards®, a program that recognizes companies for their success and innovation and for their contributions to economic growth and free enterprise. Elemental Methods was selected from a record number of applicants from communities across the nation for demonstrating exceptional business practices in areas including strategic planning, employee development, community involvement, and customer service.

“While our economy still struggles to reach its full potential, small businesses like our Blue Ribbon Award winners have continued to act as examples of the resilience, ingenuity, and opportunity at work in the free enterprise system,” U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue said. “Times can be tough, but these businesses have proven that they can be too. And by taking risks, watching out for their employees, and giving back to their communities, they’ve shown that success is achievable.”

The Chamber will announce seven regional finalists from among this year’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners on March 18 and honor all of this year’s winners at the 11th annual America’s Small Business Summit, taking place June 8 – 10 in Washington, D.C. During the summit, one regional finalist will receive the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club®, and a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of the U.S. Chamber.

All Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners are also eligible for the Community Excellence Award, which recognizes one business that has found notable success in the eyes of its community. The winner will be decided through online public voting between February 19 and March 4.

“Starting and growing a business can be a risky endeavor, but these small businesses have proven that with risk, comes reward,” Donohue continued. “Through hard work and innovation, they’re impacting their communities, contributing to economic growth, and creating jobs. And the Chamber is proud to recognize them for their achievements.”

A complete list of this year’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners is available here.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Nov 21, 2014 – A new website and smartphone application aims to help anglers track their fishing catch and help conserve key Maryland fish species. “Chesapeake Catch” is a project led by Maryland-area anglers to gather information to better inform anglers and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in fisheries management decisions and policies.

Chesapeake Catch records information about Maryland's most popular fish including rockfish, redfish, speckled trout, croaker, yellow perch and shad. All other tidal and freshwater species, including invasives, can also be recorded. The app allows anglers to record details and post photos of their fish in a personal log. This log has a spot for information about species caught, time spent on the water, general area, the length and catch-or-release disposition of each fish. All of this information can be collected voluntarily by anglers in the field.

"Anglers have a huge investment in good fisheries management, because we want more fish to catch for years to come," said Ed Liccione, Chair, Coastal Conservation Association Maryland. "Chesapeake Catch helps us track what we're catching and connect with other anglers, but also makes our catch count in decisions about conservation and management."

Chesapeake Catch is a local affiliate of Angler Action, which allowed anglers to collect their own data to inform fishery management in communities nationally. It first launched in Florida with an app and website for recreational anglers to log data about snook catches after a large die-off. Angler Action said the data helped track snook recovery with managers at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Data from Angler Action was used in the 2011 Snook Stock Assessment and has been requested for use in other research studies and stock assessments.

"Good data makes for good management, and both make for better fishing," said Bill Goldsborough, Director of Fisheries, Chesapeake Bay Foundation. "We can all have a voice in better fisheries management with Chesapeake Catch, and I encourage all anglers who care about the future of fishing in Maryland to download the app."

"Chesapeake Catch is a unique example of a project bringing together recreational anglers, conservationists and fisheries managers in order to gather more information about and protect Maryland fisheries," said Tom O'Connell, Director, Fisheries Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources. "This information is going to be very valuable to our work."

Fishing guides, recreational fishing bloggers and other avid anglers active in well- known organizations such as the Maryland Sportsman Foundation, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Environmental Defense Fund and Maryland Saltwater Sportsfishing Association also participated in the working group behind Chesapeake Catch. The app can be viewed online at www.chesapeakecatch.com or downloaded in iTunes or the Google Play store.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— October 28, 2014 – Mark Ellert, President of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts & Lodges announced today the launch of the company’s new fishing app, iGHOFISH, created to serve as the record keeper for the company’s new “Fish for the Future” fishing tournament along with tournament and special fishing events at its Guy Harvey Outpost destinations. Using software developed by Elemental Methods and the Snook and Gamefish Foundation, tournament catches will automatically populate the foundation’s database of over 130 inshore and offshore species.

Running thru 2015, the innovative ‘Fish for the Future’ tournament is open to anglers anywhere in the world, with various divisions and awards for twenty gamefish species. “With the iGHOFISH app we can now actually host a tournament with literally no limit on fishing boundaries, and in the process populate the foundations’ database with valuable catch data,’ noted Ellert. “The iGHOFISH app is a perfect reflection of our Outpost brand focus on convergence of watersport recreation and marine science. It’s ‘must have’ gear in the tackle box of every Guy Harvey Outpost angler.”

Created initially by the Snook and Gamefish Foundation (SGF) as a snook species data collection process, their Angler Action program has expanded dramatically with its intuitive user- friendly format and ease of use. “Our fishery database now includes over 30,000 catches,” notes Brett Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the SGF. “We’re excited to have Guy Harvey Outpost help us expand our reach with recreational anglers, especially those committed to data-driven fishery management practices and policies.”

“This tournament and our iGHOFISH app are a way of making citizen science just as much fun as fishing,” commented Cliff Jensen, Director of Fishing Programs for Guy Harvey Outpost. “Not all of us who love to fish have a PhD like Guy Harvey, but with this iGHOFISH app every angler can make a difference by collecting data that helps put those PhD’s to work. That sounds like fun, maybe not for the scientists but certainly for the rest of us.”

There is no cost to enter the Guy Harvey Outpost “Fish for the Future” fishing tournament. The iGHOFISH app is free, and will be available for iOS and Android phones starting November 15th.

America's Small Business Summit

This morning, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce honored the 2014 Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners. Elemental Methods was one of only one hundred small businesses selected from a record number of nominated companies. The Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards program recognizes companies for their dedication to the principles of free enterprise and contributions to restoring jobs and supporting economic growth. Each award winner demonstrated exceptional business practices in areas including strategic planning, employee development, community involvement, and customer service. Elemental Methods was one of eight Blue Ribbon Small Business award winners from Irving, Texas.

Michael Christopher and Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The award was presented at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual event—America’s Small Business Summit. The event unites small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs from across the country to learn, network, and discuss common legislative and management concerns.

Michael Christopher, Managing Director of Elemental Methods, accepted the award from Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Capitol Hill Day

During the summit, the Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners from Irving, Texas participated in meetings on Capitol Hill with Congressmen Kenny Marchant and Marc Veasey, Senator John Cornyn, and Paul Teller (Deputy Chief of Staff for Senator Ted Cruz). In the meetings, the Irving Delegation discussed legislative issues affecting small businesses and the economy in North Texas.

In an effort to bring more anglers into the data collection fold, the Snook & Gamefish Foundation is hosting a series of free 'virtual’ tournaments. Anglers across the country – and globe – are able to participate and potentially earn prizes just for participating.

Designed to manage current tournaments as well as host new events that can focus on specific research needs, iAngler-Tournament has already successfully managed a tournament from the legendary Redbone series in the Florida Keys, and just this past weekend SGF hosted their inaugural virtual event, the “Stars & Stripes” Memorial Weekend tournament.

Thirty anglers participated in SGF's Stars & Stripes tournament, from the Florida Keys to Michigan.In an effort to bring more anglers into the data collection fold, the Snook & Gamefish Foundation is hosting a series of free 'virtual’ tournaments. Anglers across the country – and globe – are able to participate and potentially earn prizes just for participating.

YOU can participate in the next FREE events, which are scheduled for June 7-8. There will be both a fresh water tournament and an inshore tournament.

The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber recently held a dinner at the Four Seasons to present awards to the top vote-getters in its Best in Irving competition. Hosted by Gloria Campos, the evening celebrated the best businesses in Irving..

The Mustang Legacy Award went to Fran Lively Mathers of Via Real, who received a standing ovation as she accepted the crystal trophy. The Chairman’s Award went to Gail Cooksey of Cooksey Communications.

Other top awards went to Britain Way Apartments — Commercial Construction Project of the Year; Glory House Catering — Small Business of the Year; Phillip Dye — Chamber Volunteer of the Year; Christina Winters Gears — Irving Sister Cities International Clayton Dobson Memorial Award; Kroger — 5-Star Partner of the Year; Four Seasons Resort and Club — Outstanding Chamber Corporate Partner; andJennifer Pouey — Chamber Employee of the Year.

Three Irving High students received Technology Leadership Council Innovation awards. They were Miguel Almaraz, Shelby Echols and Colin Miene.

Ann and Michael Christopher, owners of Elemental Methods, LLC, were recognized with seven other Irving businesses as 2014 US Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Small Businesses award winners.

Today, Elemental Methods, in partnership with the Snook and Gamefish Foundation, introduced a new tool in the collection of fishing catch data for research and responsible fisheries management. The iAngler Tournament System is a new platform for the management of fishing tournaments and the collection of catch data using mobile devices. This week, the iAngler Tournament system is making its debut at the Redbone Sunrise/Sunset Celebrity Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada, Florida. The Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series sets the standard for inshore events and has raised over $20 million dollars for cystic fibrosis research.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced the winners of its annual Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards, a program that recognizes companies for their dedication to the principles of free enterprise and contributions to restoring jobs and supporting economic growth. Elemental Methods was chosen as one of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's top 100 award winners, representing the best in American small business. This year’s winners were selected from a record number of applicants across the nation, and each demonstrates exceptional business practices in areas including strategic planning, employee development, community involvement, and customer service.

Last year, the Chamber had seven Blue Ribbon Small Business winners — more than any other Chamber in the nation. Applications to be a Blue Ribbon Small Business winner are received by the U.S. Chamber from around the nation and the best 100 small businesses are selected from criteria on their applications.

Winning the award provides national recognition for small businesses and is an asset in building their brands locally, nationally and internationally. Small businesses are judged on how they began their business, their business plan, financial results, how they address obstacles, employee practices, including benefits and how they recruit and retain employees, community involvement, customer relations and how they retain customers and grow new customers, and their entrepreneurial spirit.

Chris Wallace, president and CEO of the Irving Chamber, said the applications prepared by the nominees are some of the strongest he has seen in the years that the Chamber has been involved with the competition.

“I fully expect to have multiple Blue Ribbon winners and could see a national winner from these nominees,” Wallace said.

Blue Ribbon winners will be announced Feb. 19 and Regional winners will be announced March 19. The national Small Business of the Year will be announced June 12 at the U.S. Chamber’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Reuters, November 11, 2013: CustomWeather, Inc., a specialized provider of high-resolution weather forecast and alert services, has partnered with the Snook & Gamefish Foundation and Elemental Methods, LLC, to provide data for the Angler Action web portal and iAngler mobile app. Angler Action, an angler self-reporting system, is a collaborative endeavour benefitting the future of recreational fisheries by providing valuable data for management and research.

Trip planning and logging are key elements of the Angler Action project. Data provided by CustomWeather includes 48-hour detailed forecasts, tide tables, moonrise/moonset and moon phase data, as well as sunrise/sunset and current weather conditions. These features are key elements to enhancing the user experience, making Angler Action an important tool for recreational anglers.

You can register for the Angler Action program at www.angleraction.org or download the free mobile app from for iPhone/iPad on iTunes or for Android on Google Play.

July 10, 2013, Las Vegas, NV: This week, Elemental Methods and the Snook & Gamefish Foundation are presenting the new Angler Action web portal and iAngler mobile applications at the ICAST trade show in Las Vegas. Angler Action and iAngler are widely recognized as innovative tools for the collection of recreational fishing data. In addition to new features and enhancements, the iAngler apps and web portal can now be used to record catch data for saltwater and freshwater fishing trips.

The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST, is the world’s largest sportfishing trade show annually hosting 9,000 members of the sportfishing industry representing 70 countries. ICAST is produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the sportfishing industry’s trade association, which looks out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. ICAST is the premier showcase for the latest innovations in fishing gear, accessories and apparel and is the cornerstone of the sportfishing industry, helping to drive sportfishing companies’ product sales year round.

"American Sportfishing Association Insider", July 2013: On June 25, NOAA announced a total of 14 projects that will receive funding through the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) to improve the counting and reporting of marine recreational catch and effort. One project of particular note is an examination of the Angler Action Program to augment MRIP data and estimates. Data from the Angler Action Program, a voluntary angler logbook app that records trip and catch information, has been used by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in its recent Snook stock assessment and holds the potential to substantially increase the quantity and quality of recreational harvest data for use in other species' stock assessments and research projects. The Angler Action Program was developed by the Snook and Gamefish Foundation.

ASA Insider is the monthly e-newsletter from the American Sportfishing Association.

Irving, TX, June 5, 2013 -- The State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) has awarded a Deliverables-Based IT Services (DBITS) contract to Elemental Methods, LLC authorizing the firm to provide Project Management and Technology Upgrade/Migration and Transformation services to all Texas state agencies, public institutions of higher education, public school districts, or other local government entities.

Established by the Texas Legislature in 1989, the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) is charged with providing technology leadership, solutions, and value to Texas state government, education, and local government entities. The DIR plays a key role in maximizing the state's technology investment. Their programs are designed to reduce government costs, drive effective technology contracting, leverage shared technology operations, promote the innovative use of technology, and protect the state's technology and information assets.

Elemental Methods, located in Irving, Texas, is a consulting and professional services company, specializing in the design and implementation of innovative solutions. The firm has been recognized as a leader in the development and integration of mobile applications for the collection of commercial and recreational catch data for fisheries management and research. The "iSnapper" mobile application and web portal, developed by Elemental Methods for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, is being used to track charter and head boat catch information across the Gulf of Mexico for its third summer. "iSnapper" was recently presented as an example of innovation in the collection of fisheries data during testimony before the US House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs' Oversight Hearing on "Data collection issues in relation to the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act".

Elemental Methods is partnered with the Snook & Gamefish Foundation in Sanford, Florida in the development and expansion of their "Angler Action" web portal and "iAngler" mobile applications. The Angler Action program, undertaken in partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, fills a critical need in fishery management by collecting recreational catch data on released as well as harvested fish.

Elemental Methods is also developing a tablet application for the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the monitoring of commercial fishing catches in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic Ocean. The NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center - Panama City Laboratory Observer Program monitors catch and bycatch on bottom longline fishing vessels. The data collected will be used by the Panama City Lab in research relevant to the formulation of rational plans to manage the marine fishery resources of the U.S. South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico.

"We are proud to have the opportunity to provide our services to the State of Texas," said Michael Christopher, Managing Director of Elemental Methods. &nbsp;"We are looking forward to working with the multiple government entities within the State of Texas, and we're thrilled to continue our contribution to research and projects that manage and protect our state resources."&nbsp;

There's an app for everything these days, and if you are planning on fishing for red snapper in our Gulf waters, there is a new free app available for that.

Of course, fishing for red snapper has been popular for years, but it is restricted to a certain number of available fishing dates. Now, a new iPhone app designed by a team of scientists from the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will be able to provide fishermen with the information they need as the snapper season approaches.

Makers of the iSnapper app said it functions as an electronic logbook. Until now, there has been no software like it, and it is available at the iTunes store. For more information, you can visit www.sportfishresearch.org.

A friend emailed me a link the other day to an article in the Hispanic Business News entitled “App for Anglers also Helps Fisheries Management”. He asked me, “is this legit?” Yes, it is!

The article describes this cool new smart phone app, called iAngler. IAngler is a smart phone app developed through collaboration between research scientists and anglers. At its heart, iAngler is an effort to engage fishermen into fisheries management. The creation of iAngler was largely driven by the Snook and Gamefish Foundation (SGF), who partnered with theFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for scientific guidance. SGF has developed a fast and easy way for fishermen to make their catch and their fishing experience count. The partnership is already paying off. Information from the program has already been used in FWC’s recent assessment of snook.

As Rick Roberts, Executive Director of SGF says, “we want to promote anglers to keep score of their catch on the water, much like a golfer on the course.” Whether anglers accomplish this via an app for iPhone and android phones or use a simple data card and log the information online from their desktop after a recent fishing trip, the information counts by providing data on angler habits, as well as their catch (or lack thereof), to researchers evaluating stock assessments of a fish.

“We call it the Angler Action Program,” says Roberts. “For too long anglers have felt detached from fisheries management decisions and it hasn’t been good. We wanted to create something that shows anglers count in the management process.”

As an angler and conservationist, I’ve long believed in science based management of our fisheries. I’m glad to see the Snook and Gamefish Foundation taking a proactive role to move anglers toward greater participation in the science and management of fisheries.

TJ Marshall is Ocean Conservancy's Director of Constituent Outreach with a focus on recreational fishing and oil spill restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. Having grown up fishing, surfing, sailing and diving Florida's reefs, TJ connects tourism, government and business leaders to the value of the marine environment beyond the shore. Ironically TJ was born in Chicago and caught his first fish in the mall that Jake & Elwood Blues demolished in the Blues Brothers.

By The Miami Herald on February 7, 2013: To spread the word about the new Angler Action data collection program for recreational fishers, Rick Roberts hosted Ed Liccione and several friends on a daylong charter fishing trip off Miami aboard the Miss Britt recently.

The fishing was slow, but Liccione, of Queenstown, Md., caught and released a large barracuda on a wreck south of Miami Beach.

Roberts, executive director of the Sanford-based, non-profit Snook and Gamefish Foundation, decided to enter the ‘cuda into the Angler Action database using an application on his smartphone.

Angler Action, which Roberts helped develop, enlists recreational fishers in collecting information on more than 100 species of salt and freshwater fish found in Florida waters. Data on what they catch, where they catch it, whether they get shut out, and whether or not they keep or release a fish is intended to assist state and federal fisheries managers in assessing the health of stocks. And Roberts says the program also empowers anglers by giving them a strong voice in fisheries management.

“We want to create a partnership between us and people who do governance,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to make their job easier. More information is better than not enough. Data speaks louder than words.”

Sitting on the deck of the Miss Britt, Roberts found that angleraction.org had neglected to include barracuda — probably because it’s not a managed species and not considered great table fare. But as one of the top predators of the reef, the ’cuda occupies an important role in the marine ecosystem.

So Roberts called his web manager and had the long, toothy silver and black fish entered in the database that same day.

December 21, 2012:"The Impact Movement" is a movement of Christ followers committed to making an impact on their community and the world. They engage college students and marketplace professionals. They exist to serve and work in cooperation with and in support of the African American church with programs that include college chapters, summer mission trips in the U.S. and Africa, and a national network of those engaged in youth and young adult ministry.

The Impact Movement iOS and Android apps allow the ministry to stay in contact with its community throughout the year. The apps include information and tools for campus chapters, along with audio and video content from organization events. App users are constantly updated on new activities, missions, and opportunities to participate in ministry programs around the world.

The Impact Movement apps are the first mobile apps developed and managed using Elemental Methods' "Nautilus Mobile Content Management System".

Irving, TX - August 19, 2012: Action Air announces the availability of the "Action Air - VIN Barcode Scan" app in the Apple iTunes App Market. Action Air is Dallas’ newest and largest automotive aftermarket superstore, featuring more than $10 million in mobile A/C parts, systems, tools and supplies.

The “Action Air - Vin Barcode Scan” app allows you to scan a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) barcode using your iPhone, and links directly to Action Air's vehicle application guide. This provides instant access to accurate vehicle parts information including price and availability, as well as giving you the ability to order parts directly from your Android device, while you are standing in front of your vehicle.